Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has highlighted that India-France Space Cooperation entered new phase with focus on human spaceflight, start-ups and new space ecosystem. The Minister said this today during a meeting with a high-level French delegation led by French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste in New Delhi. Dr Singh said the long-standing relationship India and France now provides an opportunity to build a larger ecosystem by bringing together governments, research institutions, industries and start-ups, including through deeper engagement in the rapidly expanding space sector. Further, he underlined that the India-France Space partnership spans over six decades, from sounding rocket experiments to Gaganyaan and Joint Satellite Missions. He also noted that the ongoing transformation of India’s space sector has created new possibilities for the two countries to expand cooperation beyond government institutions and established agencies.

Referring to India’s space-sector reforms and the growth of the private ecosystem, he said more than 4 hundred Indian space start-ups are now engaged in areas including rocket building, satellite building and space applications. The Minister added that the next phase of cooperation between the two countries can bring together government institutions, industries and start-ups on both sides to create a larger ecosystem and wider resource pool. Dr. Singh also pitched for wider Government-Industry and Start-up Collaboration in Space Sector.